Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

This forum is for those who like to repair and restore knives, and for those who would like to learn.
Post Reply
User avatar
JonTerry
Posts: 396
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2022 1:45 pm
Location: Bristol United Kingdom
Contact:

Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by JonTerry »

Hi Guys,

Anyone know a safe method of bringing back the Acid etching on a knife blade ?

I have a Puma White Hunter which I think is 1961 but the Acid Etch is so faint I am afreaid to polish it up to see if there is more writing under the main Etch.

Any tip would be great.

Cheers

JT
You do not have a soul, you are a soul, what you have is a body
User avatar
1967redrider
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 21489
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:23 pm
Location: Alexandria, VA
Contact:

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by 1967redrider »

JonTerry wrote: Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:03 am Hi Guys,

Anyone know a safe method of bringing back the Acid etching on a knife blade ?

I have a Puma White Hunter which I think is 1961 but the Acid Etch is so faint I am afreaid to polish it up to see if there is more writing under the main Etch.

Any tip would be great.

Cheers

JT

Supposedly a #2 pencil will only remove rust and crud without removing the etch.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter


CHRIST IS KING
User avatar
JonTerry
Posts: 396
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2022 1:45 pm
Location: Bristol United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by JonTerry »

1967redrider wrote: Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:30 pm
JonTerry wrote: Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:03 am Hi Guys,

Anyone know a safe method of bringing back the Acid etching on a knife blade ?

I have a Puma White Hunter which I think is 1961 but the Acid Etch is so faint I am afreaid to polish it up to see if there is more writing under the main Etch.

Any tip would be great.

Cheers

JT

Supposedly a #2 pencil will only remove rust and crud without removing the etch.

Cheers Mate..............now...........

Whats a #2 pencil in English is that sorft or hard ? LOL

In the UK we use from 8B which is very soft ..through to 6H very hard ??

Is the number system in the US like this ? if so is #2 at the hard or soft end of the scale ?
You do not have a soul, you are a soul, what you have is a body
C-WADE7
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 1869
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2021 12:39 am

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by C-WADE7 »

#2 is the same as HB so medium hardness.
User avatar
JonTerry
Posts: 396
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2022 1:45 pm
Location: Bristol United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by JonTerry »

C-WADE7 wrote: Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:59 pm #2 is the same as HB so medium hardness.
Brilliant will try this !!!

Thanks Mate

JT
You do not have a soul, you are a soul, what you have is a body
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 926
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 4:57 am
Contact:

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Those blades are usually chrome plated, so using anything abrasive could remove the plating.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler

Factory authorized repair for:
Latama
Mauro Mario
LePre
Colonial
KABAR
Hubertus, Grafrath, Ritter
Schrade Cut. Co., Geo Schrade, Pressbutton, Flylock
Falcon/AKC/AGA Campolin
Puma
Burrell Cutlery
User avatar
btrwtr
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5479
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 11:53 am

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by btrwtr »

I never knew that White Hunters had chrome plating. I believe the knife transitioned from carbon steel to stainless at some point early on in production. Is your knife carbon or stainless steel? Does your knife have the date code on the guard? Can you post a picture of the knife to show the etching?
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Wayne

Please visit My AAPK store https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/btrwtr
User avatar
JonTerry
Posts: 396
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2022 1:45 pm
Location: Bristol United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by JonTerry »

btrwtr wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 1:45 pm I never knew that White Hunters had chrome plating. I believe the knife transitioned from carbon steel to stainless at some point early on in production. Is your knife carbon or stainless steel? Does your knife have the date code on the guard? Can you post a picture of the knife to show the etching?
Yup they made both, think the Chrome plating is true also.

The one I have is the last year of Acid Etching the Logo onto the blade before they started stamping during the forging process.

I have a couple of photos here which I had to mess witht settings to enhance the logo as it is very faint, heance my question about methods to revive the etching.

Haave a look at these mate.

Cheers

JT
Attachments
320486224_3014359155534197_1829582549717241918_n.jpg
320516100_1813843882317853_9068123770618465074_n.jpg
320579013_1117629168944008_1984566067132979153_n.jpg
320579013_1117629168944008_1984566067132979153_n.jpg (43.65 KiB) Viewed 1267 times
You do not have a soul, you are a soul, what you have is a body
User avatar
btrwtr
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5479
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 11:53 am

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by btrwtr »

If the depth of the etch is equal to the light pitting and scratches on the blade I don't know of anything that you could do. Sanding on a very flat surface and/or re-etching carbon steel with ferric chloride can help in some cases but I don't think that would work here. ::shrug::
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Wayne

Please visit My AAPK store https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/btrwtr
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 926
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 4:57 am
Contact:

Re: Hoe to revive Acid Etching ??

Post by Bill DeShivs »

You can test for chrome plating with gun cold bluing. It will discolor the edge or any other worn areas, but will not discolor the plating.
If the blade is plated, removing any of the plating will send you down the rabbit hole of the finish not matching.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler

Factory authorized repair for:
Latama
Mauro Mario
LePre
Colonial
KABAR
Hubertus, Grafrath, Ritter
Schrade Cut. Co., Geo Schrade, Pressbutton, Flylock
Falcon/AKC/AGA Campolin
Puma
Burrell Cutlery
Post Reply

Return to “Knife Repair and Restoration”